No. 2 Texas (30-2, 4-1 SEC) scored seven unanswered runs capped off with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to hand Auburn (21-10, 0-8 SEC) its third straight SEC series loss on Saturday in Austin, TX.
The Tigers, still seeking their first SEC win of the season, were up 5-0 after three complete innings. However, Texas pitching was dominant the last four innings and only allowed three baserunners the rest of the way.
The long ball accounted for six of the Longhorns’ seven runs, with junior Leighann Goode getting the scoring started with the first three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Sophomore Katie Stewart called game in the bottom of the seventh with the second three-run home run of the contest, good for her ninth home run of the season.
Junior righty Citlaly Gutierrez started the game for Texas, but was replaced by senior Mac Morgan in the second inning after Auburn held an early 2-0 lead.
However, Gutierrez returned in the top of the fourth inning to relieve Morgan after Auburn stretched its lead to five runs, and she subsequently retired the next five batters she faced in a row.
After narrowing the lead to only one run after five innings, Texas workhorse Teagan Kavan came on in relief of Gutierrez to earn her 13th win of the season after striking out three of the six Auburn batters she saw.
A bright spot for Auburn, freshman Annalea Adams continued to be hot for the Tigers at the plate, hitting her second home run in three games with a two-run blast in the top of the first inning to break the scoring open while also adding two singles to her day.
Seniors KK McCrary, Anna Wohlers and Rose Roach joined in the scoring fun in the third inning, with a double and two singles by the trio scratching across three more runs for the Tigers.
Senior Icess Tresvik, making only her third pitching start of the season, saw the Longhorn lineup through once, but only allowed two singles and two walks before moving back out to right field for sophomore SJ Geurin to take over in the circle.
Entering the contest in her SEC-leading 26th appearance of the year, Geurin sat down the Longhorns in order to end the third inning. However, with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Geurin gave up a walk, a double and the walk-off home run for her fourth loss of the season.
The Tigers will look to salvage the series with a win in game three tomorrow at noon CST. The game will be broadcasted on SEC Network+.
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Emily Porch is a senior majoring in Sports Production from Sylacauga, Alabama. She joined The Plainsman in fall 2021.
You can follow her on X (Twitter) at @emilycporch
